


Earlobe Rendezvous

by ApproachingEden



Series: Do You Bayleef In Love [3]
Category: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Pokemon Fusion, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-07 15:05:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12235302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApproachingEden/pseuds/ApproachingEden
Summary: It might be a little too forward to ask Hiiro to go on a couples-only ferris wheel with him, but Emureallywants to check out the view from the top and he doesn't know when he'll be able to visit Nimbasa again.





	Earlobe Rendezvous

Part of Emu's duty as League Champion is representing Kanto in festivals and fairs in other regions. It is a responsibility he has admittedly neglected in favor of his medical career, so the Elite Four would often go in his place and Nico would always complain about having to do so even if she obviously enjoys it; between her and Asuna (who, as the famous idol Poppy Pipopapo, is always invited to these events anyway), there's never a shortage in souvenirs after a trip.

While he is a little sad that he can't travel as much, Emu doesn't regret choosing to focus on his studies and becoming a doctor. He genuinely gets a lot of fulfillment from helping his patients, just as he feels accomplishment from successfully defending his title every year. He has yet to find a proper balance between his two passions, but for now he's enjoying his job at the hospital too—and not just because of his attending physician, although the visually pleasant view does provide some of the inspiration that helps make the daily grind a lot more bearable for him.

"Intern," Hiiro's voice cuts through Emu's thoughts like a scalpel. "You're attending the festival in Nimbasa this weekend, are you not?"

Emu looks up from his lunch. "Ah.. yeah... The others have prior commitments, so I'm the only who can go..."

"You don't sound very enthusiastic."

"No, it's just... I'm not used to doing these events alone...," Emu laughs nervously, "and it's kinda my first time in Unova."

He feels a little self conscious at the receiving end of Hiiro's gaze. Hiiro has always been intimidating, but now that they've become quite friendly—or so Emu likes to think—it's less of a "my superior is strict and scary, and probably thinks I do everything wrong" kind of thing than a "I hope he's not noticing the gross breakout my skin is suffering under stress because not everyone can be a genius doctor _and_ be goddamn beautiful at the same time".

(Emu makes a mental note of asking Asuna for skincare advice later.)

"I will be in Unova this weekend," Hiiro says quietly. "If you like, perhaps I can show you around."

"Yes, please! .... Well. Um. The event might run a little late but I think I have free time the next day."

"Nimbasa is still quite lively well into the night, actually. Oftentimes I wonder if establishments ever close at all."

Emu claps his hands together in delight. "That's perfect! I always have too much energy after events I never know what to do with myself. Usually I just play video games with my brother, but he's not gonna come with this time....."

"The amusement park, then?"

"Okay! Um... Are you sure it's okay?"

Hiiro shrugs nonchalantly. Emu wonders if the faint pink on his face is just some sort of reflection from the cake he's currently demolishing or if Kagami Hiiro is _actually blushing_.

"I have nothing else better to do after my errands."

"Great!" Emu exclaims excitedly, beaming brightly until his face hurt. "I'm looking forward to it, then!"

Despite hearing many great things about Nimbasa City, he had always passed up the opportunity to visit Unova in the years past due to his studies. Now that he gets to finally go, he'll be spending some time with Hiiro too!

It might be too early to say so, but if this weekend is his last, Emu finds that he's absolutely fine with that.

 

 

 

 

As the CEO of the leading manufacturer of Pokemon technology, one would think that Genm Corp's Dan Kuroto would have better things to do than personally help man his company's festival booth or casually chat with regular attendees. Emu finds it baffling how Kuroto always manages to be present for pretty much every event that Emu has ever attended in his competitive battling career. In fact, he was the one to award Emu his first Champion trophy and he has been handing him his trophies every year since.

At this point Emu won't be surprised if Kuroto lives forever, attending festivals and handing trophies to League Champions long after Emu has stepped down and perished and turned into dust.

"So glad you could make it, Emu!" Kuroto greets him cordially, with a carefully measured smile on his face. His Persian quietly follows right behind him. "It's been a while. I hope you haven't forgotten about me."

Emu smiles back weakly and plays with the edge of his jacket. "Of course not, Kuroto-san. It's nice to see you again."

Kuroto turns to Hiiro. "I see you've brought a friend. I believe we haven't met before?"

"Oh, right! This is Hiiro-san. He's a coworker. Hiiro-san, this is—"

"Dan Kuroto." Kuroto extends a hand which Hiiro takes. His Persian, meanwhile, slowly circles Hiiro, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Of Genm Corp?" Hiiro asks incredulously.

"That would be me."

"I'm Kagami Hiiro."

Seemingly satisfied in his examination of Hiiro, Kuroto's Persian returns to his side.

"Ah, the genius surgeon. A pleasure to meet you." When Hiiro and Emu stare at him in surprise, Kuroto lets out an amused laugh. "Of course I've heard of the pride of Celadon University. Who hasn't?"

To Emu's relief, Hiiro doesn't point out how he had absolutely no idea who Hiiro was when they first met at work, so, yes, there are people who have not heard of "the pride of Celadon University".

"Well, I hope you're enjoying the event so far," says Kuroto. "It's rare for Emu to attend and even rarer for him to bring a friend. I was starting to think he didn't have any besides his brother and the other Elite Four."

"Your brother's part of the Elite Four?" Hiiro asks.

Emu sheepishly rubs the back of his head. "Oh. Uh. Yeah. Did I not mention that?"

"Dr. Kagami, are you not very familiar with the competitive battling scene?"

"It's not really among my interests..."

"I'm sorry, Hiiro-san," says Emu. "You didn't have to come. We could've just met after the event."

"I came here because I wanted to," says Hiiro. He looks annoyed, but his tone is suddenly gentler than Emu is used to. "Just because I don't comprehend the appeal of competitive battling doesn't mean I am above supporting a friend who enjoys it."

_A friend_. It's nice to know that at least that feeling is not one-sided. Emu would've floundered a little longer in the puddle of goo that Hiiro's words just turned him into, if not for the distractingly mischievous grin on Kuroto's face.

"Don't worry, Dr. Kagami," says Kuroto. He looks down to his Persian and gives it a pat on the head. "I'm sure Emu here will give you a great show. You won't regret coming to see him."

Hiiro mutters something that Emu didn't catch but before he can ask, someone calls for him to get ready to go on stage. Emu then starts shuffling and bouncing in place, and he resists the urge to run his fingers through his hair so as not to ruin the nice stylist lady's work. He feels a little awkward and out of place in his clothes right now, as if garish streetwear is something he should have already grown out of, but he knows that once he is on stage and he is M again, he'll be right at home.

He flinches out of his thoughts when Hiiro grabs his hand.

"It's strange," Hiiro says. "I've always admired your boldnesss and tenacity, and yet here you are shaking on your feet."

The Persian makes a snorting noise and Kuroto laughs. "You really have never met League Champion M before, have you, Dr. Kagami?"

Emu barely catches the curious look on Hiiro's face before he is ushered to the stage.

 

 

 

 

The cheers of the crowd, the energy of the moment, all light a fire in Emu's veins and he lets it consume him, devour him, until his nervous energy is replaced by the confidence that defines M's image.

Showcase events like this are performative, something that he admits Poppy is so much better than him at. Still, he takes to the stage and gives it his all, as if he wasn't sweating his body weight off in anxiety just a few minutes ago.

The lights are blinding, but on the stage, M shines the brightest.

 

 

 

 

It's not long before the show is over. After one last bow and a cheeky wink to the audience that earns deafening screams from the fangirls, Emu recalls his Pokemon back into their Poké Balls and walks off the stage with the other regional champions who all go off to enjoy the rest of their evening.

Behind the curtains, he sheds M—his jacket, his grin, his smugness—as easily as he put him on. He accepts some tissues from a stage assistant to wipe off his sweat with, and finds Hiiro and Kuroto waiting for him.

"Good work today, Emu!" says Kuroto. His Persian makes an annoyed sound as its nap at Kuroto's feet is disturbed when he gets up to greet Emu. "That was a great show. Dr. Kagami here seemed very mesmerized. Perhaps now he'll be interested enough to start watching competitions."

Hiiro only shrugs. Rather than mesmerized, he looks displeased. Emu feels guilty for making him sit through a show he obviously had no interest in, so he resolves to treat him to lots of cake to make up for the trouble.

"Do you have any plans this evening?" Kuroto asks. "I was thinking of treating you to dinner."

"We do!" Emu answers a little too quickly. "Hiiro-san and I have other plans, sorry. Maybe next time?"

The smile that Kuroto puts on this time makes Emu very uncomfortable, as if he knows something that Emu doesn't, but Kuroto doesn't drop his manners and only nods. His Persian huffs impatiently next to him.

"Of course, of course," he says. "Well then, I'll leave you two on your own. If you need anything, you know how to reach me. Have a wonderful evening."

Emu hurriedly changes into something more comfortable before he and Hiiro head out. As they navigate the maze-like backstage, Emu returns the greetings of the staff they pass by while Hiiro walks beside him wordlessly. It is only when they're finally out in the streets on their way to the amusement park that the silence between them is broken.

"It was like watching a completely different person," Hiiro says.

Emu sighs. "Yeah... I get that a lot."

"I meant that in a good way. I think it's cool."

"Eh? Really?" Emu feels a warm fuzzy feeling bubble up in his chest.

"I see it in the way you handle patients," says Hiiro. "You're charismatic. You know the right things to say. Until now I didn't realize those qualities are exactly what would make you captivating on stage. It's you, but different. Feels a little like... the spotlight amplifies your personality."

"Didn't seem like you enjoyed the show, though," says Emu.

"I would have enjoyed it a lot more without someone giving commentary I didn't ask for."

"Er... Yeah, he can get a little weird. But he's not that bad!"

"He's annoying."

"I get that. His brand of charisma is not for everyone."

"Maybe next time I'll just sit among the audience."

Emu stops in his tracks. He feels his own face heat up. "Next time?"

Hiiro stops too and turns to Emu. "Why? Don't you want me to come watch you again?"

"I do! I just... I just didn't think you'd want to!"

"Dan Kuroto wasn't wrong." Hiiro looks away and starts walking again. "You're mesmerizing to watch."

 

 

 

 

"If we ride the ferris wheel, we can see Nimbasa's entire skyline, right?"

"Yes..."

They are sitting at a table by the window of an Audino-themed cafe so pastel pink that Emu can feel his teeth rotting inside his mouth just by staying here for more than five minutes. The food is surprisingly good, though, despite their sickeningly cute presentation, and, most importantly, Hiiro seems to really enjoy all their cakes. After an intense argument that almost got them kicked out, Emu managed to win (" _You said I can do what I want! Well_ this _is what I want!_ ") and he bought Hiiro a slice of every cake they had available.

Just outside the window, they can see the queue for the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel. Emu is surprised that even at this late an hour there's still quite a few people lining up, though he supposes he should have expected it. After all, the ferris wheel is one of the most popular attractions in Nimbasa City, famous for its size and its reputation as a dating spot.

They tried pretty much every park attraction on Emu's list today and the ferris wheel is the only one left he has yet to tick off. It might be a little too forward to ask Hiiro to go on a couples-only ferris wheel with him, but he _really_ wants to check out the view from the top and he doesn't know when he'll be able to visit Nimbasa again. To be fair, he originally imagined having to drag Parad or Asuna with him if it came down to it, but this situation may not be so bad if he plays his cards right.

"You do know it's usually a date thing, right?" says Hiiro.

"Do they check for that?" Emu feigns ignorance. Of course he knows. He looked it up and a pair doesn't have to be on a date to ride the ferris wheel. It became popular among couples because the pods seat only two, and from there it eventually earned its status as a romantic destination. "Do we have to pretend to be on a date to get on? Because I'm down with that."

Hiiro sighs in exasperation. "No, they don't. We don't. I'm only saying it's typically an activity for romantic couples, in case that would bother you. But clearly I was worrying unnecessarily if you're willing to go that far just to get on a ride."

"Ah. Does it bother you?"

"No, it doesn't."

"So we can go?"

"Yes, if that's what you want."

"Really?"

"In fact, we could be lining up now if you didn't insist on getting a slice of every cake they had and making me eat all of it."

"You say that but you're already on the last slice and we haven't been in here an hour."

"Shut up."

As it turns out, Emu had greatly underestimated the "romantic" part of the ferris wheel's reputation. He's suddenly hyperaware that everyone else on the line are couples engaging in PDA, which he suspects wouldn't've been as awkward had he gone with someone he didn't have _that_ kind of interest in. To Hiiro's credit, he isn't showing obvious signs of minding the lovey-dovey atmosphere much. But Emu now knows him enough to detect little changes in his emotional state, so he can tell he's not as chill about it as he appears.

Even with Emu's best efforts to ease the weird tension by engaging Hiiro in a pointless discussion about the evolutionary history of Alolan Dugtrio hair, the undercurrent of awkward energy lingers as they progress through the line and it follows them right inside their pod, only slowly draining out when their pod begins to ascend.

Emu is completely, utterly blown away.

While Kanto has big, bustling cities of its own, he thinks that no view in the region could compare to the one in front of him now: Nimbasa City at night in all its light polluting glory. He's so awed that he forgets how close he and Hiiro are until he turns to say something and he is hit with the realization like a Master Ball to the face.

Hiiro is looking outside the window with a wistful look in his eyes, his profile faintly illuminated by the colorful neon lights of the amusement park, and the moles on his face like stars forming constellations that Emu is itching to trace with his fingertips.

"What are you thinking of?" says Emu, daring to break the silence.

"I've been here once before with Saki," Hiiro answers quietly, almost a whisper. He looks away from the window, leans back and closes his eyes with a heavy sigh. "She wanted to come back but I was too busy, never found the time. This is the first time I've returned to this park since."

Here they are alone together, in a small pod slowly climbing up above Nimbasa City. There's barely any space between them and Hiiro is spilling his heart onto Emu's hands.

All Emu could say was, "I'm sorry."

When Hiiro opens his eyes again, his gaze is soft and gentle, and there is a small smile on his lips.

"Don't be. I'm glad to be here with you."

 

 

 

 

In the light of day it was a silly thought that Emu would likely not have the courage to put into words. But in the irrational darkness of 2:00 AM, in a confined space hundreds of feet above the ground, it seemed like a completely logical thing to say.

"I really like you, Hiiro-san."

Perhaps it is too early to challenge this boss fight because the silence that follows his confession stretches on for far too long than Emu is comfortable with. There is nothing on Hiiro's face that gives him a concrete answer; nevertheless, he prepares himself to accept a rejection.

"Is it okay?" Emu asks quietly.

They're too high up now for the neon lights of the amusement park below to cast their glow inside the pod, but there's still a bit of light from the ferris wheel's structure itself to give Emu the impression of a blush on Hiiro's face. Emu wonders if the pods were specifically designed to be dark like this. It doesn't seem very safe.

Hiiro looks out of the window again. 

"Do what you like."

With a shaking hand, Emu rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry for putting you on the spot like this. I swear I didn't plan this. It just came out! I'm not taking it back, though, because I really mean it... But I probably should've picked a better timing..."

"I would have preferred a readily available exit route."

An embarrassed laugh escapes Emu. "If it makes you feel better, I also want a quick exit from this awkward situation."

"But if we're talking about preferences," Hiiro says, "I'd like to continue visiting new places and trying new things with you."

"Oh."

"And I want to return to places I've been to and make new memories there with you. Not to replace the old ones, but to add to them."

"Mmm... Is that what we're doing now?"

"Maybe." Hiiro turns to face him and their eyes meet. "Is this okay, Emu?"

His name is uttered very tenderly but Emu's heart still jumps at the use of his first name. The way it sounds in Hiiro's voice will probably never lose its novelty for him no matter how many times he hears it.

He doesn't fight M's smirk on his face. "Do what you like."

Their little pod begins its careful return trip, and the intense mood is shattered when Hiiro starts laughing, a shy, quiet sound that somehow both drowns out and amplifies the loud beating in Emu's chest. It fills his heart with the kind of warmth a cup of hot chocolate and a stack of freshly cooked pancakes provides on a sunny Saturday morning, and he breathes easy.

"Yep." Emu nods to himself. He shifts on his seat and lets out a deep breath. "I definitely like you."

"Why does that sound like you weren't sure until just now?"

"I have to verify it once in a while. Sometimes you're so grumpy it makes me think twice."

Hiiro answers Emu's cheeky smile with a shy one of his own. 

"Thank you for today, Hiiro-san. I had a lot of fun."

"Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"

"None at all. Take me wherever you please!"

Emu attempts to spread his arms out but the pod is too small for him to stretch them fully, so he just ends up clumsily waving his hands around.

"It's off season, but you asked about beaches in Unova before..."

"Huh. I forgot about that, actually."

"Would you like to go?"

"Yes, of course. I thought we already agreed on the making memories thing."

"Good, because I already made reservations."

"This isn't just an excuse to get me shirtless, is it?"

Hiiro rolls his eyes. "Put that overinflated ego away, M. This isn't the Pokemon League."

"Yeah, I guess it's too cold for that anyway."

Their pod's slow descent feels too fast for Emu, and as the neon lights of the amusement park once again wash the tiny space he and Hiiro share with the colors of the rainbow, he wishes for time to stop so that they can stay like this a little longer. It's a selfish thought, considering they're going to see each other tomorrow too, yet he allows himself to indulge in it regardless.

"Emu."

"Mm?"

"I like you too."

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> apparently nurse joy studied pokemon psychology in [celadon university](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Celadon_University) and professor oak used to teach there. let's pretend that it's the seito of this au and that they have a hospital thingy too.
> 
> does silph co exist? idk. if it does then genm corp totally annihilated them at some point.
> 
> hey do you know i also [draw this au](https://twitter.com/i/moments/861173443483410432).


End file.
